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Fri, 20 Nov, 2015 12:09:30 AM FTimes – STT Report, Nov 20  Navy held a press conference on its mission to Mediterranean on Thursday. Photo – Lehtikuva. Finland is sending a 12-member naval team to the joint European naval operation against human traffickers in the Mediterranean.
The so-called Sophia Operation is being conducted in the international waters near Libya.
“Smuggling has become a lucrative business. They [traffickers] increasingly use unsafe vessels, and the people are often left to fend for themselves at sea,” said Coastal Brigade Commander Petri Ilvesaro.
In addition to apprehension of smugglers, their maritime mission tasks include helping refugees get to dry land.
Navy's mission in the Mediterranean were presented in front of media at a press conference on Thursday.Photo – Lehtikuva. According to Ilvesaro, they are taken mostly to Italy. Traffickers are apprehended and handed over to the authorities, currently only in the EU countries, but possibly also in Libya in the future.
The mission already has eight staff officers from Finland.
At the moment, the 12 team members are in training, working together with a German frigate and its crew. Their training is ongoing at the Upinniemi garrison in Kirkkonummi.
They are scheduled to travel to the sea this month.
Among those leaving are reservists as well as Finnish Defence Force personnel. There were more than one hundred applicants, according to Ilvesaro.
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